But perhaps he has already. Van Niekerk’s impressive times in the 200m this season — his 19.84 second run in Jamaica last month is the second quickest in the world this year — were enough to convince Bolt not to race over that distance at the IAAF World Championships in London.

Now, the understated South African has set his sights on the great Jamaican’s 200m world record.

“If you had asked me a few years ago if the 400m world record is possible, I probably would have been shocked,” Van Niekerk told CNN.

“Now I’m thinking why not, because I never thought I’d be owning the 400m world record today, so why not believe in the 200m?”